Read Matthew 2:1-12

1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory— this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.”

 

3-4 When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified—and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

 

5-6 They told him, “Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:

It’s you, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land,

no longer bringing up the rear.
From you will come the leader

who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel.”

 

7-8 Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”

 

9-10 Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!

 

11 They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.

 

12 In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country. [MSG]

 

Reflect:

I’ve already heard people saying, “I’ll be glad to get back to normal after Christmas.” After Christmas there is often the desire to pack everything up and get back to normal again. But sometimes, I think we rush away from it too quickly, sometimes I think we do too good a job at cleaning up Christmas, and we run the risk of removing it from our lives.

  

After Christmas there is often the desire to pack everything up and get back to normal again. But sometimes, I think we rush away from it too quickly, sometimes I think we do too good a job at cleaning up Christmas, and we run the risk of removing it from our lives.

 

What if after Christmas we could keep life from getting back to normal again? What if we could hang onto our renewed relationships, and our giving attitudes and loving spirits, and take them with us into the new year?

 

I have a ficus tree that I keep decorated with my favorite ornaments all year as a reminder to keep Christmas with me all through the year. Obviously, I do not mean that everything is going to be perfect, or that I will escape the routines, schedules, or busyness I struggled with prior to Christmas. But, I want us to consider that there ought to be something different about the way we think, act, and live with one another as we are well into the new year.

 

Maybe God understood that even for Mary and Joseph, perhaps things got back to normal too quickly. Two years nothing happened, just caring for a baby, changing 8 diapers a day, 240 a month, 2880 a year. That monotony could have easily taken away the luster of that glorious night. I wonder if they thought if it really happened at all, the appearing star, the singing hosts of angels, the shepherds visit, two years. And then the wise men came.

 

Apply:

As you and I look back on this year, are you satisfied with what you have given to your King? To the one who came to save you?

If we dare to follow these wise men’s devotion to the King, then maybe we can follow their example to give the best we have, and to trust God to take care of the rest, and know that what is promised will come true for us all.

 

“So, keep Christmas with you

All through the year,

When Christmas is over,

Save some Christmas cheer.

These precious moments,

Hold them very dear

And keep Christmas with you

All through the year.”  Sesame Street

 

Pray:

Dear Jesus, Help me to keep Christmas in my heart all through the year. Help me to hang on to my renewed relationships, attitude of generosity and love, and take these into the new year.